tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post8378298518440134409..comments2015-03-31T16:18:05.550-04:00Comments on Backreaction: Advent calendar #23: Moonshine in Rutherford's brainSabine Hossenfelderhttps://plus.google.com/111136225362929878171noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-60001899758754730132011-12-23T15:32:04.623-05:002011-12-23T15:32:04.623-05:00Hi Bee &amp; Stefan,
So although everyone is conc...Hi Bee &amp; Stefan,<br /><br />So although everyone is concerned with whether Rutherford was being truthful, which I think might remain as somewhat uncertain, I am fairly confident he was indeed Ernest:-)<br /><br />Merry Christmas,<br /><br />PhilPhil Warnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15671311338712852659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-72913859527115664202011-12-23T11:17:58.154-05:002011-12-23T11:17:58.154-05:00Wiki gives these two quotes, from Rutherford:
&qu...Wiki gives these two quotes, from Rutherford:<br /><br />&quot;All science is either physics or stamp collecting&quot; (though he was in 1908 awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry)<br /><br />&quot;We haven&#39;t the money, so we&#39;ve got to think.&quot;Arunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03451666670728177970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-80707524406664994622011-12-23T10:25:19.491-05:002011-12-23T10:25:19.491-05:00Rutherford&#39;s moonshine dictum bothered Leo Szi...Rutherford&#39;s moonshine dictum bothered Leo Szilard. Szilard was waiting for a Southampton Row, London traffic light to change in late 1933. Before the light, he was thinking about neutrons. Then, the <i>world</i> changed - Szilard conceptualized a chain reaction using uncharged particles inert to a nucleus&#39; electrostatic barrier.<br /><br /><i>The Making of the Atomic Bomb</i>, Richard Rhodes, pp. 27-28.<br /><br />(Had Szilard hallucinated superluminal neutrinos, we might have a bomb that detonates before it is constructed, tremendously saving costs. Thiotimoline, OTOH, is obviously silly.)Uncle Alhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05056804084187606211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1669368913085464322011-12-23T05:36:37.341-05:002011-12-23T05:36:37.341-05:00&quot;the awful prospect that he saw looming over ...&quot;the awful prospect that he saw looming over the horizon: a new and dreadful war, a new and devastating weapon, and unprecedented destruction&quot;<br /><br />I don&#39;t think so; the vast majority of scientists are too ambitious and scientific driven to suppress a huge discovery for such concerns (but maybe Rutherford was an exception).<br /><br />Moreover if that was true then the scientists of Manhattan project would look kind of immoral according to Rutherford standards which I don&#39;t think is the case.Giotishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03594944884584261018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-88936971474090977132011-12-23T04:43:02.591-05:002011-12-23T04:43:02.591-05:00Well, thanks for the reminder. You too, have a mer...Well, thanks for the reminder. You too, have a merry Christmas. Best,<br /><br />B.Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-84482849494911303342011-12-23T04:41:13.929-05:002011-12-23T04:41:13.929-05:00Back in November, when I asked you abount this yea...Back in November, when I asked you abount this year&#39;s advent series, I didn&#39;t think you&#39;re gonna make it on such a short notice.<br /><br />It was pleasure to read it, thanks ;)<br /><br />And have a great Christmas time!icalvinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17183231026436805605noreply@blogger.com